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Dehn-Nielsen-Baer theorem

The Dehn-Nielsen-Baer theorem states, for closed orientable surfaces Σ g 2\Sigma^2_g of positive genus, g1 g \geq 1 , that the canonical homomorphism from their extended mapping class group MCG ±MCG^{\pm} (including orientation-reversing maps) to the outer automorphism group Out()Out(-) of their fundamental group π 1()\pi_1(-) (at any basepoint, using that surfaces are assumed to be connected) is an isomorphism:

MCG ±(Σ g 2)Out(π 1(Σ g 2)). MCG^{\pm}(\Sigma^2_g) \xrightarrow{\phantom{-}\sim\phantom{-}} Out\big( \pi_1(\Sigma^2_g) \big) \,.

References

The first published argument, credited to Max Dehn (whose proof has been lost, cf. Stillwell 1987):

Detailed review of the original arguments by Max Dehn and Nielsen, as far as recoverable:

Textbook accounts:

Generalization to orbifolds:

  • Hansjörg Geiges, Jesús Gonzalo: Generalised spin structures on 2-dimensional orbifolds, Osaka J. Math. 49 (2012) 449–470

Last revised on August 25, 2025 at 13:04:27. See the history of this page for a list of all contributions to it.